وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖ بَل لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُۥ قَـٰنِتُونَ 116
Translations
They say, "Allāh has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him,
Transliteration
Wa qalū ittakhadha Allāhu waladan subḥānahu bal lahu mā fī as-samāwāti wa-al-arḍi kullun lahu qānitūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refutes the false claims of those who attributed children to Allah, a blasphemy common among pre-Islamic Arabs and certain People of the Book. The verse emphasizes Allah's absolute transcendence (tanzīh) through the word 'Subḥānahu' (Glory be to Him), declaring that everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him alone, and all creation stands in obedience to Him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurṭubī note this directly addresses Quraish claims that angels were Allah's daughters, and Christian claims about Jesus being the Son of God, establishing that Allah is beyond partnership and procreation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the early Medinan portion of Surah Al-Baqarah, revealed in response to the theological misconceptions of the Quraysh and People of the Book (Jews and Christians) living in Medina. The broader context addresses fundamental Islamic beliefs about the oneness of Allah (Tawḥīd) and refutes polytheistic and anthropomorphic concepts of the Divine.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records a hadith where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most grievous sin is to associate partners with Allah, for Allah has created me and created you, but I have not created anyone, and you have not created anyone.' Additionally, Sunan An-Nasai contains hadith emphasizing that speaking against Allah's oneness is among the greatest sins.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to guard our beliefs against false theological concepts and to understand that Allah alone deserves worship and obedience—not creation itself, which exists in complete subjugation to His will. For believers today, it reinforces that true faith requires rejecting any notion that diminishes Allah's absolute uniqueness and perfection.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ عَفَوْنَا عَنكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Then We forgave you after that so perhaps you would be grateful.
أَوَلَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ
But do they not know that Allāh knows what they conceal and what they declare?
ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِى يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ مِنَ ٱلْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۚ فَمَن جَآءَهُۥ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, "Trade is [just] like interest." But Allāh has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allāh. But whoever returns [to dealing in interest or usury] - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?" He [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."